Voter Fraud Report

Jessica Dowless, of Wake County, was charged by the state for her role in connection with an absentee ballot trafficking scheme to benefit Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris during the 2018 general election. Dowless was charged with conspiracy to commit felonious obstruction of justice, swearing falsely, and conspiracy to swear falsely. Dowless and others were affiliated with Leslie McCrae Dowless, a political operative in Bladen County and a consultant for Harris. Dowless and others unlawfully collected ballots from voters, falsely claimed to have witnessed the voter casting his or her vote, and then mailed the ballots in a manner intended to conceal that the voter had not mailed the ballot. Dowless pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to swear falsely in exchange for dismissal of the other charges and was sentenced to 120 days in the misdemeanor confinement program, which was suspended to 12 months of supervised probation, and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service and pay court costs and fees of $858.50.